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WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:03 am
by gnstill
New Family Page: WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Please post comments and queries about the WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN FAMILY here.

Re: WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 8:24 am
by runningduck
Hello Gary (Still), thanks for posting the items on the Hearn Family. William Hearn (1830) did indeed come from London, and married Jane Taylor. I have managed to trace the Hearn family back through records originally started by my wife's aunt, the late Mary Telfer Hearn. She published a great deal on the Hearns is a book of which I have a copy. I have managed to go further back than she could, as new sources have become available online. There is a recurring second name "Lancaster" with some spelling variants) that helps take the family back a few generations to a Hearn marrying a Lancaster. The Hearns were originally from Suffolk, though the line did move to London. In this case, the name Hearn is likely Norman not Irish as in "O'hearn" and variants.

There seems to be some confusion around Percival Hearn:
Percival Hearn (My wife's Grandfather) was a physician, not a nurse, who graduated from The University of Toronto in 1915. He interned at Grace Hospital, Toronto until 1916 when he enlisted serving
serving with the rank of captain, in the Canadian Medical Corps, and on a Brisish a troop ship, in the Atlantic
He was later a Family Doctor in Toronto, Blyth and Clinton, Ontario. Sadly he died quite young at Clinton Ontario in 1940.

We have a very good handle on the family tree tree of the Hearns to a1745 and a John Hearn in Groton Suffolk.

Re: WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 3:12 pm
by gnstill
Thanks Gary B.
Regarding Percival as an RN: I have copied the actual lines from his attestation and pasted it into the narrative. You don’t seem to trust attestation documents. What would be your interpretation?
I am well aware the Percy died become a physician later. I’m thinking he obviously must have been an RN prior to obtaining his PhD.

Re: WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 10:07 pm
by runningduck
He graduated from the U of T in 1915, the year before he signed up. That we are sure of, but the RN is rather odd indeed.

Re: WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2015 2:14 pm
by runningduck
Percival Hearn's Officer Declaration Paper, Dated Aug 27, 1918 gives an account of his service, and the abbreviation R.N. Appears under the item "Give particulars of any former military service"

At that timer, from what I can find, the abbreviation did not stand for "registered nurse". That term would only come into general use after the time of this document, as various jurisdictions started to regulate the training of nurses. Great Britain's first registered nurse was recognized in 1923. I have not found information for Canada.

A careful reading can make sense of the entry by remembering that the question asked is about former military service, and recognizing that the R.N. Modifies the following words "Transport Service." In this usage, R.N. Stands for Royal Navy, and Percival, though a member of the C.A.M.C. (Canadian Army Medical Corps) did indeed serve as ship's surgeon on the H.M.T. (His Majesty's Troop Ship) Empress of Britain.

The document can be found at

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/m ... 84095a.gif&

Information about he RMS Empress of Britain, (the one built in 1905, to differentiate from a later Empress of Britain) can be found online. The war history of the ship reflects stories passed down in the family.

Re: WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:30 am
by gnstill
Many thanks for clearing all that up Gary! I have changed my wording in the narrative accordingly.

Re: WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 9:01 am
by pcates
I can across this thread quite by accident whilst doing some family research. WTHearn would be my 3rd great uncle, making Percival Hearn and my Great Grandmother Muriel Hearn first cousins. If you haven't already found this site, another distant relative Roy has done a great job tracing the Taylor side of things:

http://www.christopherson.net/genealogy ... index.html

The reason that WTHearn's mother and Jane's father both grew up in the Barbados is because they were siblings. To compound the confusion WTHearn's father was also named William and his mother was also a Jane Taylor. As for his father being born in Bristol, that's a bit of a mystery (one of many), The only document I've found to support this is a baptism from London, whereas all the other children were born in the Barbados. The farthest back I've been able to confidently trace the Hearn line is to William Lankester Hearn who was born in Suffolk about 1798, then moved to London.

I'd definitely be very interested to trade notes on the family line so do feel free to contact me.

Philip Cates

edit: I forgot to mention what brought me here. My great grandfather H.A Cates was at UofT medical school around the same time as Percival Hearn and married his cousin Muriel. I've often wondered if that was just coincidence or if that's how my great grandparents were introduced.

Re: WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 11:09 am
by runningduck
Well Hello Phillip. I would be interested in comparing notes. William Lancaster Hearn (commercial traveller) is the son of William Hearn baptized 19 Sept 1777 Boxford, Suffolk and Sarah Lancaster baptized 23 Aug. 1778 Southwold, Suffolk They were married 4 April 1794 at Parish Of Stowmarket, Co. Of Suffolk, England. Sarah's parents are listed as William Lancaster and wife Jane (unknown), while William's are listed as John Hear 1745- Dec. 1835 and Francis Ponder (or Pinder) daughter of Walter and Sarah Ponder or Pinder. Actually, I'll stop here as duty calls, even though there is more information. Let me know if it is helpful. Oh, some of this comes from the Non-conformist registers of England and Wales. I am at garyboratto@gmail.com

Re: WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 1:39 pm
by pcates
Hi Gary,

Thanks very much for that info. I actually tried to email you but had it bounce back. Did i get the spelling correct? garybortatto@gmail.com

Re: WILLIAM TAYLOR HEARN (1860-1928)

Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 4:47 pm
by runningduck
I'm sorry, that is my fault, it's garyboratto@gmail.com. I have no idea how I could misspell my own name!